


Changing the future

by alexisriversong



Series: COWT 2019 [23]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Fix-It, M/M, bilbo has visions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-24
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-12-06 22:35:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18226301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexisriversong/pseuds/alexisriversong
Summary: Since he was a faunt, Bilbo had the ability to catch glimpses of the future.At the beginning it seemed to be such an advantageous ability, but he soon had to learn that every time he changed the future, a price had to be paid.The worst one was when he rescued his father from the wolves during the terrible Fell winter, but his mother was taken instead. It had been horrible without her.That taught Bilbo that the future was best left alone.Until a certain wizard and his company arrived at his smial.Now, he had to decide how much he is willing to risk to help Durins sons.And how far he can deviate from future events without the price being too steep.What he doesn't realize is, that with every good deed, with every friendship earned during the trip, he slowly changes the timeline for the better.Because the stronger the bonds he creates are, the more powerful is his ability to change things, and the closer he comes to the happy ending, fix-it timeline.





	Changing the future

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt: Dragon in the COWT challenge by Lande di Fandom
> 
> At first it was a fill for this though... Really late XD   
> http://hobbit-kink.livejournal.com/14338.html?thread=25505026#t25505026

When it happened for the first time he had thought it was just a dream, he had seen his friend Tuppin fall down the stairs of his smial and breaking his leg. It was a big surprise when the little hobbit actually fell from the stairs the following day.

It made him think that he knew beforehand. It felt a bit his fault for not telling him.

Once he dreamt the questions to the History test they were having at school that day. He looked up the answers before the test and got a very good note. But it felt wrong, like he had cheated. He never dreamt things like that again.

And then the wolves came. He had dreamt about the wolf attacking his father. He had seen him die and he knew he couldn’t let it happen. When his father made to get out of their smial he blocked him. The wolves came and his father was still inside with him. He didn’t notice his mother had gone out instead. He shouted, running outside with a torch and scaring off the animals. But it was too late, his mum was dead and his father alive.

It didn’t take long for the heartache to take him away from him too. Bungo followed his dear Belladonna in her slumber only two or three months later. Bilbo was alone, he hated himself and his power, refusing to change any more events for the rest of his life.

It was the end of the adventurous life he had always wanted to have. He closed himself in Bag End and lived a solitary life until a wizard came to his door one day.

That evening, Bilbo fell asleep on his chair in front of the fire before dinner and dreamt again for the first time in a very long time. He dreamt about a dragon, a mountain and a bunch of dwarves. He woke to the feeling that he was going to receive a bunch of unexpected guest even if he had plainly refused Gandalf’s proposal.

He sighed and begun to prepare dinner for the dwarves and the wizard that would soon arrive. He had promised himself that he would never again change his visions and if that meant going to slay a dragon with a company of twelve dwarves… then he would go. He didn’t want any more deaths on his conscience.

When Dwalin arrived followed by Balin, then Fili and Kili and then the rest of the company and  the wizard, a full dinner was awaiting all of them and a warm welcome too. He was a proper Hobbit after all. He knew though that one dwarf was missing from the company. Thorin Oakenshield.

When the knock came he opened the door to the handsome dwarf king and knew exactly why he was going to follow him. There was a light in his eyes, a light he had only seen in his mother eyes, the light that told him this dwarf was going to do anything to get his mountain back, it told him he would need to change the future to save him, because he was going to get in danger.

He didn’t care for his rudeness in calling him a grocer, he just told him it was rude to insult your host and future companion. He begun packing as soon as the dwarves got to sleep, he remembered his handkerchiefs and his walking stick and his warmer clothes and some medicinal herbs his mother had told him about.

When they left Bag End behind, with instructions given to the Gamgees to take care of the garden in his absence and a will that gave everything to his cousin Drogo Baggins who had just gotten married and was expecting a child in case of his early demise.

The first part of the trip was hard on the hobbit. Thorin kept looking at him like he was some kind of strange being who puzzled him to no end, but he also looked at him like he didn’t matter at all in the company. Bilbo was not put off though, he wanted to be friends with the king or, at least, get his approval and acceptance.

It took him almost dying for him to actually be accepted by the king. When he had tricked the trolls until the sun light came, he had gotten not one word of approval, only scorn.

Later, in Rivendell , it had been fun to see the rivalry between his dwarves friends and the Elves, he had enjoyed the meals there and had dreamt again. The dream was clearer than ever. He saw the dragon, Smaug, he saw the proud dwarf King, crazy with gold lust, he saw the dragon die and leave them with the treasure. He saw the battle afterwards, Thorin’s death, Fili and Kili falling before him. He had to stop that happening, he had no idea how to do that though.

When they left the Elves palace with the secrets of the map unveiled, he already knew where the opening for the mountain was, he didn’t need the map anymore, his dreams were pretty clear. He had never had so many visions and premonitions in all his life, it probably meant he really had to change the future this time. The only problem is. How!? He was just a common Hobbit, no strength, nothing useful to the mission.

While they were crossing the Misty mountains, he had survived the mountain giants and had managed not to fall to his death. He had known nothing of the cave at first, then, after falling briefly asleep, he had dreamt of the Goblins attack, he hadn’t managed to tell the company in time and it actually happened.

When he had fallen and got lost, he thought it was the end. He had not managed to change the future even if he had really tried. He had no idea what was happening to the company then, but he had managed to out trick the monstrous little thing that called itself Gollum and stole his ring. He wondered why his power didn’t come handy that time, why hadn’t he seen that he was going to lose the company? At least he still had his backpack.

Apparently, he could turn invisible now. That’s how he managed to escape the Goblins and reunite with the company. It was hurtful to know they had already given up on him as a lost cause. He was proud to prove them wrong. He never told them about the ring though. It was then, that they got attacked again, it seemed like they were getting used to it.

It took being attacked by goblins and Warbs to get the stubborn king dwarf to see his worth. It took him defending the Dwarf with his little elfish sword he had found in the Trolls’ lair, it took him grabbing him and taking him to safety up a tree and having a vision that could save them all.

He had never had a vision while awake, but he had one then, on top of a tree clutching Thorin’s wounded body close, Warbs trying to kill him, he saw the eagles coming.

“JUMP!” he shouted to everyone.

“Are you crazy? We will die if we jump from here” whimpered Ori, trying to keep the hounds away throwing a flaming pie cone towards them.

“Trust me. JUMP!” he said before doing just that, bringing Thorin with him. A eagle snatched them out of the air and he was shaking from fear yet, but they were safe and so were his friends, they had followed his example.  The dwarf in his arms was wounded, he didn’t answer him when he called his name, unconscious, but he had gotten them all away. After they were deposited on the ground by the Eagles, he used his medical herbs to treat Thorin’s wound and, as soon as he woke up, they resumed their travels.

From that moment onwards, Thorin started threating him differently, like he owned him his life, well, it was true, but he didn’t do it to get merits, he did it because he had really started to care about the stubborn dwarf king. He was happy that Thorin even hugged him and told him he was a friend.

Of course, they soon had to run again, from Orcs this time, and found safety in Beorn’s house, apparently, he was Gandalf’s friend (at least amicable). The bear shifter was not really friendly with anyone, but he let them sleep in his house and kept them safe until they could resume their travels. He even fed them.

During their stay in Beorn’s house, Bilbo got even closer with Thorin, even having a talk about missing home. Thorin really missed Erebor and, now that he was away from Bag’s End, Bilbo could understand the feeling. They bonded during the brief time they spent in the shape shifter's cave and Bilbo was tempted to reveal to him about the ring.

Remembering though that he had seen Thorin going mad from Gold lust, maybe showing him a jewel was not the best idea. He still had to work out how to help the Dwarf and save him.

The night before entering the forest of Mirkwood, he dreamt about them being captured by Elves because they had gotten lost. Apparently, they would also have to run from the giant spiders that lived inside the forest. He did see the right path though.

When they woke up, he was not really surprised to find that Gandalf was not going to go with them. He had other things to do apparently. He realized, with extreme pleasure, that he was able to lead the company through the woods without falling pray of the giant spiders. There seemed to be no repercussions for that little change, so he tried talking with the elves when they were captured.

He explained to the one he knew to be the prince, Legolas, that they wanted to have an audience with the king and were just passing through the woods to reach Erebor. Thorin didn’t seem to be happy about that, but he did put down the weapons to show he could be trusted. Instead of as prisoners, they were taken inside as visitors.

Bilbo was afraid to think about what could have changed in their future with his interference, he hoped nothing bad would happen to his friends.

He even found himself enjoying Legolas presence and also Tauriel’s. They seemed the ones most likely to help them in their adventures. He had seen them fighting by their side in the premonition he had before entering the forest, so it must be that way even with his changes.

Thorin insisted on being the one to talk to Thranduil, not wanting doubts about his authority arousing in anyone’s mind. It only took Bilbo touching his arm for a second to calm the dwarf down and stop any accident from happening, not that anyone actually acknowledged that.

The Elf King, refused them an army, but Legolas and Tauriel offered them their arrows for the cause. The king was not pleased but he allowed it. He knew that his son would just escape anyway if he refused. And so they entered the city together and met a man called Bard. He was the one that almost killed the dragon ages ago. He wanted his second chance.

Bilbo knew he was going to be the one to slay the dragon and started thinking about how to make the dragon fly over the village without causing all the destruction he had seen in his vision. Could Bard be the collateral damage to changing the future? Or one of his children maybe? The hobbit was waiting for the other stone to drop about that. Was it possible that nothing bad was going to happen?

Obviously, after that thought came to his mind, they were attacked by Orcs again. Bilbo and some of the other dwarves, Thorin with them, tried to reach the mountain, while Fili, Kili, Oin, Bofur and the elves stayed behind, fighting the Orcs.

Bilbo hoped that he had changed enough or not too many things and that nothing bad would happen to any of them.

He still had no idea how to win the battle of minds that was going to happen with the dragon in less than one day. They were in time for the lock to appear with the last light of Durin’s day. All the dwarves were convinced it was the setting sun that was going to make the keyhole appear, Bilbo knew otherwise, but kept silent.

The dwarves were losing hope, pounding at the door with fists and weapons. It would not help though, Balin kept telling them so. When all the dwarves retreated, Thorin let the key fall to the ground and Bilbo was there to grab it.

“You can’t give up now” he tried.

“It’s over Burglar, we lost our chance”

“No, it’s not, there is still light”

He knew he was just stalling, key in hand, ready to action as soon as the moonlight showed the keyhole and the Trush knocked on the Grey stone.

“What do you mean? The Sun is gone”

“Yes! But look!” he said pointing to the moon that started shining. A Trush came knocking on the stone as predicted and Bilbo ran to the keyhole to insert the key and open the secret door.

“How? Did you know?”

“I suspected, but I didn’t tell you in case I was wrong and I gave you false hope”

“You genius hobbit! Magnificent burglar, you opened the door for us. For that I’ll be grateful forever”

Bilbo smiled at his friend and gave him back the key. The king put it around his neck and held his hand to the hobbit. He took it and shook it with a smile only to be pulled towards the dwarf and hugged.

After a dreamless night, Bilbo entered the mountain. He slipped the ring around his finger and tried to move as quietly as possible. He still had no idea how he was going to trick the Dragon into flying to the village to get slain by Bard, he had no idea how to stop Thorin&#39;s gold lust and not get anyone killed in the meantime.

He managed to enter the dragon’s lair and was assaulted by the smell of fire and death. He saw a couple burned skeletons around the vast quantity of gold and jewels that covered the floor. He hoped not to become one of them.

He looked around for the Arkenstone, he had seen Thorin go mad because he couldn’t find it, maybe if he did find it, Thorin wouldn’t go mad. He saw it, on top of a pile of gold in the middle of the vast room. Trying not to make noise so as to not awake the dragon, he went to retrieve the precious jewel.

After grabbing it, he tried to go back to the door, but a rumble shook the floor and he found himself pinned in place, freezed, unable to move with fear. He knew he was invisible, but the stone he had just picked up was clearly important and so, it’s disappearance was pretty obvious to the dragon, of course.

“Well, thief, I smell you. I hear your breath. I feel your air. Where are you?”

Even the Dragon’s words were terrifying. Bilbo had no idea what to do, he tried to run away, provoking a tumble of the gold around him. He tried hiding behind a pillar but the dragon had heard him and was close to him, lightingly fast.

“Come now, don’t be shy. Step into the light. Mmm, there is something about you, something you carry. Something made of gold, but far more...PRECIOUSSSSS.”

At those words, Bilbo has a vision, but not one of the usual ones, this is much more ominous, he knows it comes from the ring, so he takes it off, suddenly becoming visible again.

“There you are, thief in the shadows.”  
  
“I did not come to steal from you, O Smaug the Unassessably Wealthy. I merely wanted to gaze upon your magnificence, to see if you really were as great as the old tales say. I did not believe them” maybe flattery would work.

It seems to do something at least, the dragon retreats and lets himself be seen in all his glory. “And, do you you now?!!!”  
  
“Truly, the tales and songs fall utterly short of your enormity, O Smaug the Stupendous.”  
   
“Do you think flattery will keep you alive?” ops, caught. DENY!  
  
“No- no, no.”  
  
“No, indeed. You seem familiar with my name, but I don’t remember smelling your kind before. Who are you, and where do you come from, may I ask?” The Hobbit was not going to tell him about the Shire, he was not stupid. He kept the Arkenstone close to himself and answered vaguely.

“I come from under the hill.”

“Underhill?” he just nods and keeps talking “And under hills and over hills my path has led. And, and, through the air. I am he who walks unseen.”

“Impressive. What else do you claim to be?”

“I am...luck-wearer. Riddle-maker.”  
  
“Lovely titles; go on.” He has an illumination then.

“Seer”

“Seer? What do you see?”

“I can see the future Your Magnificence”

“The future? Interesting. What have you seen?”

“I don’t think that telling you will make a difference, it never does. I’m sorry”

“Really? And what about your little dwarf friends? Where are they hiding? Do you know something about their future? If you don’t tell me, I’ll go find them and eat them all”

“Dw- Dwarves? No, no, no dwarves here. You’ve got that all wrong.”

“Oh, I don’t think so, seer. They sent you in here to do their dirty work while they skulk about outside.”

“Truly, you are mistaken, O Smaug, Chiefest and Greatest of calamities. And I really think you will not appreciate the fate that destiny has for you”  
  
“You have nice manners...for a thief and a liar! I know the smell and taste of dwarf. No one better. It is the gold! They are drawn to treasure like flies to dead flesh. But this treasure is mine!”  
  
“Do you really think that? You stole this treasure from the dwarves, don’t you think I know about that?”

“Are you calling me a thief?”

“I’m calling you exactly the way you are!”

“Did you think I did not know this day would come, when a pack of canting dwarves would come crawling back to the mountain?! The only thing I didn’t know was that they would send a small little thing like you to steal my precious treasure. Do you think I don’t know what you are hiding under your jacket?”

“I know that you know, as I knew this conversation was going to happen, everytime I try to change the future, it never works, it only ends in the way destiny wanted it to. You are great and big, but you are destined to fall and die in this place. A man is already coming, with the power to destroy you forever!”

“What are you talking about? No one can kill me!”

“He can, and he will”

With a roar, the Dragon looked suspiciously down at him. “If you are telling the thrut about the man, I’ll go to the village and kill everyone before they can get to me. If I find you and your dwarf friends here when I come back, I will eat you all!”

With that, Smaug fled from the room towards the village and they never saw him again, Bard had been ready with his black arrow as soon as he had heard the dragon awake and had slain him with a single arrow, making him fall in the lake with a great splash.

The dwarves got possession of Erebor and Bilbo immediately gave the Arkenstone to Thorin. The dwarf looked like he was going to be prey to gold lust, but he calmed down as soon as the little hobbit touched him.

As soon as they knew the orcs were coming, they united with the elves and the men to fight them, other dwarves coming to their side together with them.

The fight Bilbo had dreamt about, the one where Thorin, Fili and Kili died, actually happened anyway, but, this time, they had backup, not falling into the trap, Bilbo, invisible, slayed Azog before he could kill Thorin and it looked like the kings gold lust had been something that could never affect Thorin, the look on his eyes everytime he looked at Bilbo, was like the one he had when he had seen the Arkenstone again.

Sometimes, Bilbo still thought that something bad was going to happen, that he had changed the future too much, but it never happened and he stopped having visions after their journey had come to an end. Maybe that was the punishment for meddling too much with destiny. He didn’t care much. He had a family and everything was perfect again… for a while.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are love!


End file.
